


Un baile

by starkaryen



Series: Hannibal Cre-Ate-Ive Prompts and Challenges [13]
Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: #HannibaLibre, Cuba, Dancing, First Kiss, M/M, Post-Episode: s03e13 The Wrath of the Lamb, they're both idiots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-25
Updated: 2016-11-25
Packaged: 2018-09-02 04:23:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8651092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starkaryen/pseuds/starkaryen
Summary: When Will and Hannibal settle in Cuba months after the fall, they start having foolish fights. A dance might be the only thing that will help them understand what's happening between them.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [murdergatsby](https://archiveofourown.org/users/murdergatsby/gifts).



> Thank you SO MUCH to [murdergatsby](http://archiveofourown.org/users/murdergatsby/pseuds/murdergatsby) for trusting me enough to "ask" me to write this (*wink*), and also for always supporting me♥♥ (and if you haven't read her fics, go do it right now, because they're all amazing!)
> 
> Also, thanks a lot to Llewcie for betaing this<3
> 
> I have no idea about salsa dancing, but I watched a ton of videos explaining it to write this, so I hope I got some of it right xD.  
> The title means literally "a dance" in Spanish. Yeah, I'm that simple...

The rhythmic music coming from the speakers changed from one song to another as it had been doing for the past hour, and Will sighed quietly. He looked away from the sun that was beginning to dip into the horizon, across the room to the rattan armchair in which Hannibal was sitting rigidly. He had been in the same position for almost two hours: jaw taut, measured breathing, one hand holding his head with his thumb under his chin and his forefinger over his lower lip, and a glass of wine in the other hand that Will was sure the man hadn’t touched.

It had been seven months since they had emerged out of the Atlantic Ocean. Or, more accurately, since Chiyoh had pulled them out. Five months, two different countries and safe houses later, they had arrived in Cuba, now without Chiyoh and the worst of their wounds left behind. It hadn’t surprised Will that Hannibal had already a house ready for them there. He probably had had help from Chiyoh to find the places they had stayed in, but while the others had been small houses away from the civilization, when Will saw the house of Cuba he had to stay a few seconds frozen in the street, looking at the main entrance. It wasn’t an excessively big house, not enough to draw unwanted attention, but it was still a bigger house than anything he had ever lived in. It was hidden from prying eyes, surrounded by a tall fence completely covered by vines and palm trees inside the house. Once he saw what the exterior looked like, Will half expected what he found inside, but it still left him wordless anyway; past the beautiful house and the porch, they had access to the beach. A beach that Will didn’t have to ask to guess it would be private.

They spent a month in a quiet and calm peace different from the one that the drugs had induced the first months, or the silences that had settled between them while they had been with Chiyoh,. This was different and it felt better, but it somehow changed from one day to the next when the fights started. They were all over trivial things, disagreements over where to go, what to do one day, what to serve for dinner, whether they should leave the doors open or closed when it was raining… The foolishness of the arguments had only increased, and that very same day at lunch they had argued again. Will didn’t even remember the reason for the fight, and now that he was looking at Hannibal, he wondered once again what was happening to them. Why did Hannibal use every small fight to distance himself from Will; why did he flinch every time Will got closer to him, or why was he spending more time hidden in the room that served as study?

But if Will was honest with himself, it wasn’t only Hannibal that was being foolish, or tense. He was, too, and he didn’t know why. Because that wasn’t the tension Will had felt when he had first met Hannibal, the tension of being with someone he actually liked for once, someone that understood him and shared his views, even some of the ones he hadn’t dared to voice with anyone else before. It wasn’t, either, the tension he had felt after getting out of prison. The tension of knowing he was playing Hannibal; of knowing that in reality, it didn’t _feel_ like he was playing Hannibal, at all. And it wasn’t, either, the tension he had felt when he had seen Hannibal again after three long years, behind the glass; the tension of not knowing what he himself would do.

This was everything at once, and nothing like that at the same time. This was something that made him feel warm and cold at the same time, something that he felt deep in his stomach and tingling in the tips of his fingers, something that made his chest full sometimes, and that left him completely empty at others.

Will was so lost into his own thoughts that he hadn’t noticed Hannibal turning to look at him for the first time in the entire afternoon.

Will blinked and sat up a little in his own chair. He thought about saying something, about breaking the silence that had settled between them, heavy and almost tangible.

“I’m sorry.”

It was such a quiet whisper, that even though Will was looking at him, it took him a second to process that it had been Hannibal who had spoken. Before he could process it, Hannibal looked away from him again and raised his glass to drink from his glass of wine. The drink was probably warm by now, but Hannibal still took a sip from it and set the glass down on the auxiliary table beside him.

When Will finally reacted, he stood up, although not exactly sure with what purpose. He pocketed his hands into his linen pants and strolled from his chair to the frame of the open sliding doors leading to the ample porch. The sky had a deep, dark orange tone that day, the water of the ocean reflecting it and making it even brighter.

In that moment, the song changed again in the speakers, a Spanish voice singing a slow rhythm, but Will still recognized it as a salsa song. And then he made a decision.

He turned to Hannibal again, approached him in two determined steps and raised his right hand to him. Hannibal looked up from his lap to the hand, and then very slowly, his eyes went up to his face. The corner of Hannibal’s lips twitched, but that was the only reaction he showed. Will swallowed and flexed and stretched his fingers once, inviting him again.

“You told me a couple of weeks ago that you knew how to dance salsa, that maybe you could show me one day. So show me.”

It was a dare as much as a plea, even if Will had tried to word it only as the first one.

Hannibal still made him wait a couple of long seconds, but he finally moved, taking Will’s hand and getting up from the chair. Will didn’t let go of Hannibal’s hand as they walked outside. They had a table with two chairs in the roofed side of the porch, and to the other side and on the sand, two hammocks hanging from two of the palm trees; the rest of the wooden platform that was the porch was empty, which was the perfect space for what Will had asked Hannibal to do.

When they stopped in the center of it, Will turned to face him, and for a second they stood there awkwardly, still holding his hand.

“Will…”

“Let’s just dance, okay?” Will told Hannibal, but not in a harsh way. He suddenly wanted – _needed_ this, for some reason.

“Very well.”

Hannibal finally raised his left hand with Will’s in it, and then adjusted his position, aligning his feet and squaring his shoulders. Will watched the slight but complete change in awe. Hannibal had always had a unique elegance, movements that had the grace and beauty of a dancer. But that was an _actual_ dancer pose, and when Hannibal raised his right hand and left it hanging in the air right besides Will’s arm, it took him a moment to clear his throat and try to imitate Hannibal’s position as best as he could. Will raised his left arm awkwardly, not knowing what to do next.

“Where…?”

“On my shoulder,” Hannibal said, finally placing his own hand on Will’s back, right over his shoulder blade.

Will tensed immediately at the contact, but he put his hand on Hannibal’s shoulder as he had instructed. Hannibal’s hand was firm over his loose shirt, but almost as tense as Will himself was. Will watched the way their feet were pointing at each other, and then looked up to find Hannibal’s eyes watching him intently.

“Okay, now what?”

“Well, now…” Hannibal started, and then he took a small step towards him, bringing them a little closer. “Now we start moving. I’m going to move my left foot forwards, and you move your right one backwards…”

After saying it, Will felt Hannibal’s clasp over his hand tightening, and then pushing him slightly as he did what he had said. Will looked down at their feet, and he moved his own, mirroring Hannibal’s movement. Once he had taken the step, Hannibal lifted his right foot as if he was going to take another, but then he retraced his step backwards.

“Now the same, only backwards and exchanging our feet,” Hannibal said.

Hannibal used the hand on Will’s shoulder blade to pull him slightly backwards, and so Will took a step towards him with his left foot, imitating what Hannibal had done. When they returned to the original position, Will looked up as Hannibal repeated the first movement. Step backwards, back to place, turn of Will’s step forwards. It was such a simple gesture, but every time Will had to go backwards, he felt the need to go the other way around. He managed to do three, four rounds of steps, but suddenly when it was his turn to move back, he raised his right leg to go forwards, hitting Hannibal’s thigh with his knee.

“Shit!” Will let out, dropping his hands and moving back from Hannibal as if he had gotten burned. “This isn’t working…”

Will sighed and pinched his nose, expecting Hannibal to get upset and walk away. But instead of moving back, Hannibal took a step towards him, raising his hands again. Only this time, he raised his right hand higher, exactly the opposite as before.

“Why don’t we try again? But this time with you leading, instead.”

“I don’t know how to dance and you want me to lead?” Will said, chuckling wryly.

“I’ll still show you the steps, but this way you will be the one to decide where and when we move to. And I have the feeling you will feel more comfortable leading.”

Will looked him in the eye, waiting to see a smirk or something that told him Hannibal was teasing him. He only found an honest little smile. Will nodded slowly and took Hannibal’s hand in his. Then he placed his hand on Hannibal’s back as he placed his palm on top of Will’s shoulder. Once they were set, Will did as Hannibal had done, and started moving, this time being him the one who pulled and pushed Hannibal’s hand, and that way he started feeling more relaxed and confident with each step.

“Have you ever danced not being the lead before?” Will asked.

“No. Never,” Hannibal said, and that made Will look up at him again. Hannibal tipped his head. “Now, you’re going to make me turn.”

“I’m sorry?”

“When you complete the first step and you’re going to go backwards, describe a semi-circle with your left hand and raise it above our heads for me to spin.”

Will blinked but didn’t stop moving. He parted his lips to ask him if he was seriously going to do that, but instead he closed his mouth and did what Hannibal had told him, raising his left hand. Hannibal spun as Will did his step, and when he went forwards again, they found each other again, Will’s hand landing in the spot on Hannibal’s back where it had been, Hannibal’s hand settling in his shoulder, their bodies close again and their feet not halting their movements.

Will felt a rush of something that he wasn’t quite sure what was hitting him, the heat he had already felt bursting and spreading across his entire body. Will looked at Hannibal and smiled, letting out a breathless laugh.

“Do that again,” Will said.

“It’s you the one who has to do it, Will. You’re the lead.”  


Before Hannibal had finished saying it, he did exactly that, doing the same movement as before with his hand and making Hannibal spin. When they came together again Will was fascinated again. It was like he wasn’t the one moving, or Hannibal; it was like a stronger force pulling them together as soon as they dared to move apart from each other.

“Show me more,” Will asked him, and Hannibal’s lips curved slightly upwards in a pleased smile.

And so he showed him more. He showed him how to turn together slowly while they kept moving, with only angling their feet and bodies to one side as they moved. He showed him, too, how to reverse their positions, and even while Will made Hannibal spin.

“Do you feel confident enough to try a dip?” Hannibal asked him then, and Will’s eyes shot up to his face, slightly alarmed. “Not a professional one, of course. A basic one is not that difficult.”

Will wasn’t that sure about that, but he nodded anyway. “Alright.”

Hannibal explained to him, as they were still moving with the basic steps; that he just had to make him spin, and when Hannibal came back to his arms, he had to hold him with both arms while Hannibal bent and allowed himself to be held. It was basically a trust exercise, and Will wondered what would happen if he couldn’t hold Hannibal as he was supposed to. They kept dancing as before, doing the basic steps over and over as Will gathered the courage to start the routine, and then he decided to go for it. He tightened the hold on his hand and moved away from Hannibal for him to spin. He did one turn, two, and then Will put his left hand on Hannibal’s back with his fingers splayed as far as he could, and the right on his shoulder as Hannibal completed the and he leaned his weight into Will’s arms.

Will looked down, watching how Hannibal’s body was mildly bent, his side against Will’s chest and his arms lax and pointing to the floor. Will looked at him in the eye as his arms began to tremble and his wounded shoulder started aching due to the exertion of holding him, and so he pulled them both up until they were standing up straight. But he didn’t let go of his hold of Hannibal, and he kept their bodies pressed together.

In that moment, Will noticed that the music of the speakers had changed, now playing a completely different song than the one they had started dancing to. The sun had long set, and they were surrounded by the darkness on the beach and the light from the house and the porch.

Will could hear his heart drumming inside his chest and on his hears, the blood pumping furiously through his veins. He was panting, too, and he was so close to Hannibal’s face that he could feel how both of their breaths were going out in quick and warm puffs that crashed against each other’s mouths.

Will dropped his gaze from Hannibal’s eyes to his lips, those parted, bowed lips. And the want that hit Will in that moment was so shocking, so strong, that his breath hitched on his throat as he suddenly understood everything.

He looked up at Hannibal’s eyes again and saw that he was right; that this was the reason why they had been picking petty fights with each other, why Hannibal had been more reticent to touch him than ever, why Will had provoked Hannibal every time he could, why Will had been so annoyed with both Hannibal and himself without knowing why… And it was because the thought of not kissing that mouth for another second was unbearable.

“Will…” Hannibal said, when they had been still for far too long, but he didn’t continue.

Will’s lips trembled in the beginning of what didn’t get to be a proper smile, because he closed his eyes and leaned forwards to erase the short space between them as he tightened the hold on his back. When Will felt Hannibal’s mouth against his own, the fire he had felt inside exploded in a million sparks running through his body and under his skin.

The first kiss turned into a second one, their lips relaxing against each other and Will opening them slightly to suck at Hannibal’s lower lip while he tilted his head. Hannibal had been completely still until that moment, merely returning the kiss, but he finally reacted at that, both of his hands finding Will’s waist and settling there as if he had found their rightful home. Will melted at the touch, sliding one of his hands up to grasp gently at Hannibal’s hair, leaning into him even farther. Will pressed their bodies flush, their chests, hips and legs locking into each other as two pieces that had been separated for far too long. Will parted his lips in earnest then, groaning into Hannibal’s mouth while their lips and tongues danced at the rhythm of their heartbeats.

When they parted, Will kept his eyes closed a couple of seconds more, feeling Hannibal’s breath against him again while he caught his own. And then, Will laughed. He started chuckling, and it soon turned into a loud laugh as he opened his eyes and finally looked at Hannibal. He was already watching him with a grin of his own, his pointy fangs glistening between his wet, reddish lips. Will shook his head, because it was so utterly ridiculous, so simple, he couldn’t believe he hadn’t seen it before.

“Why did it take us so long?” he asked.

“I… I thought you would never-” Hannibal started, but his voice faltered.

“I know,” Will nodded.

He loosened the grip on Hannibal’s hair and moved his hand to cup Hannibal’s stubbly jaw.

“I’ve been so blind…”

“We have been,” Hannibal said.

Will huffed out another laugh. He let himself fall forwards against Hannibal, gently pressing his forehead against the other’s as he wrapped his arms around Hannibal’s shoulders, not because he needed the support, but because he needed the contact. They stayed like that during an entire song, another voice singing about kisses, one of the few words Will could understand from the lyrics.

When he moved back, Hannibal’s hands were still planted in his waist, and Will smiled at how good they felt, how warm his entire body was next to Hannibal’s.

“Now what…?” Hannibal asked, his eyes roaming Will’s.

“Well…”

Will moved away from Hannibal for the first time since they had begun dancing, letting his hand drop and half turning to the open doors and the inside of the house.

“ _Now_ we could prepare something for dinner, and we could eat it in the dining room while you tell me where you learned how to dance,” Will suggested. “And then… you could teach me more of those moves.”

Hannibal stayed completely frozen for a second, and then an absolute adoring smile lit up his face.

“As you wish…”

Hannibal finally moved towards Will, closing the distance between them and kissing him again as they moved back together in sync, in a new dance that neither of them would have any problem adapting to.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked this!! :)
> 
> If you like my fics, all information and links about my writing are [here](https://about.me/mizumohno).
> 
> Say hello to me @ [twitter](https://twitter.com/mizumohno) and [tumblr](http://starkaryen.tumblr.com/) :)


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